CelticStorm : In your own home unless someone there says no. I'm only a smoker if someone else is smoking and I am drinking.

I hated when the City of Houston instituted it's ban as it forced business owners to possibly harm their own businesses - I know this because of the changes in places we went since we lived within a mile or two of the City/County line (i.e. ate at places in the county, not in the city limits {lost city sales tax income too!}). So I do respect an owner's wishes to operate their business as they see fit. But at some point, it almost feels discriminatory. It's not like they didn't serve alcohol on the larger, non-smoking side! Hell, from the times I've been in there, they can't fill up the NS side! Kinda reminds me of Bud Adams' demands before he took the Oilers to TN - couldn't fill the seats giving out free tickets!

If the restaurants are changing their business models this drastically, there's a monetary reason why. They make more money off of non-smokers. If it was the other way around, they wouldn't eliminate their profit generator. It seems to be the chains doing this, maybe some mom and pop places around here still allow it.

CelticStorm : I want to understand this correctly you are telling me that Applebee's primary marketing and brand image is to be a bar? So much for their iconic "Eatin good in the neighborhood" slogan or spending all that money on advertising riblets instead of drinks. They are seriously confused. Talk about bad branding.

CelticStorm : I prefer Applebee's to Chili's any day of the week

Don't most of the local (non national chains) bars in Atascocita allow smoking, I think they all do except Time Out Tavern. Matter of fact if you cross the street into the 24 hour fitness parking lot there is On the Rox. Plenty of places in Atascocita for those that want to smoke and have a drink.

chasinghosts : That's some real control so you are lucky for sure